The skinny on neighborhood differences?

Like many others in this discussion, I too am relocating to Portland in July 2014. I visited Portland in January and was able to explore many NE and SE neighborhoods. I will be buying, not renting, a house. (I have a real estate agent who is helping me, but I want your input too!)

My question to this group is a bit more nuanced than the others I have read here. I am hoping this group can give me the honest skinny on neighborhood differences:
* What is the difference between living in the Alberta Arts District versus the Sunnyside/"Hawthorne" neighborhoods? (Other than different house types.)
* Are Hollywood and Richmond as similar as they appear to be?
* The Portland crime statistics certainly tell me where and what kind of crime occurs throughout the inner neighborhoods east of the river. But what are the practical aspects of neighborhood crime? For example, friends tell me that the twentysomethings and vagrant communities around Hawthorne lead to an active drug culture. Right? Wrong?
* Irvington, Alameda, and Beaumont-Wilshire all seem to be nice, established, button-down neighborhoods. Because they do not have the commercial development that other neighborhoods have, these three neighborhoods have lower walk scores. Does anyone who lives in these neighborhoods feel "isolated"?

Personally, I value a neighborhood that is highly walkable to a variety of different stores, has an open sense of community, and is peaceful (e.g., no vagrants/hooligans or left-wing, noisy activist types).

And if you posted a similar question, I would love to hear your experience once you settled into your house and neighborhood!

Replies to This Discussion

Well you took the words out of our mouths! We are also likely moving to Portland with the same questions in our minds. Did you find answers? I don't see any responses here but perhaps you found them elsewhere and can share? You have at least two people who would be extremely grateful to hear what you have to say! Thank you.

John, I see that you posted this back in 2014, but, like Michael McD and Katie McM, I'd be very interested to know if (and how ) you found the answers to your questions. I'll be moving to Portland in the Fall, but I will be renting for the first year. However, many of the topics you mentioned (esp. regarding crime rates in different areas) are ones that I'm trying to find answers for, too. Thanks!